Arabinogalactan-Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles Demonstrated Remarkable Anticancer Therapeutic Effect against Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The treatment and prognosis of cancer remain highly challenging due to its complex and multifaceted nature. In the paradigm of nanomedicine, nanotechnology has gained huge attention in cancer therapeutics. The unique physicochemical properties offered by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in targeted drug delivery and anticancer therapy favor their implications in cancer therapeutics. However, surface modification, particularly with polysaccharides, can further optimize the function of gold nanoparticles. Among others, the advantages offered by arabinogalactan (AG) make it a suitable candidate for coating gold nanoparticles. The present study reported the anticancer therapeutic potential of AG-AuNPs against liver cancer. The synthesized AG-AuNPs were characterized for UV-visible spectrum, hydrodynamic size, zeta potential, core size, bonding and functional groups, crystalline nature, and elemental composition. The compound was then evaluated for its stability in biological fluids followed by <i>in vivo</i> biodistribution and anticancer therapeutic potential in rodent model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The chemical characterization of AG-AuNPs revealed a successful coating of AG onto AuNPs. The nanoparticles were stable in serum for up to 24 h with no appreciable change in the size of the UV-visible spectrum. The <i>in vivo</i> biodistribution study demonstrated excellent selective accumulation of AG-AuNPs in liver tumors with 1.6 times higher uptake as compared to nontumor liver tissue. AG-AuNPs showed a significantly decreased tumor load and restoration of tissue histoarchitecture in the treatment group as compared to the untreated tumor group. Overall, this study suggested that AG-AuNPs demonstrated a good anticancer therapeutic effect for the targeted treatment of HCC.